1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to retailing, and more particularly to a system, article, and method for implementing shopping cart security in a retail environment utilizing cameras and radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies.
2. Description of the Related Art
Faced with fierce competition, retailers are always looking for ways to improve their operational efficiency and enhance the customer's shopping experience. In an effort to address both the need of the retailer to improve their operational efficiency and to improve overall customer satisfaction, International Business Machines Corporation has introduced the personal shopping assistant (PSA). FIG. 1 illustrates a PSA 100, which is a sophisticated computing system that mounts on shopping carts 108, or the shopping cart handle 106, and guides customers through the retail environment, while tracking and recording the customer's purchases. Through the use of a wireless touch screen tablet 102 and hand scanner 104, customers may scan items for self-checkout, pre-place special orders in various departments in a store, and find items in the store. The customer's ability to scan items for self-checkout and bagging reduces the required level of staffing at checkout lanes.
A system utilizing PSA technology provides for powerful point-of-purchase retailing, by delivering relevant promotions to shoppers in real-time, based on historical purchase behavior and the shoppers current location in the store. Through the use of loyalty cards assigned to identify customers, the PSA system may display electronic coupons based on past purchases. The PSA system showcases store specials within a shopper's current vicinity, automatically updating the touch screen tablet 102 screen as a customer traverses the store. By sending relevant promotions to consumers while they shop, retailers offer a more personalized, convenient shopping experience to promote repeat business. In addition, the ability to communicate specials electronically offers significant savings over traditional advertising mediums. The powerful point-of-purchase features offered by PSA technology act to enhance the shopping experience, increase customer satisfaction, while strengthening customer loyalty and driving sales.
The high level of integration offered by PSA technology also provides retailers with real-time customer buying and store traffic patterns that assist the retailer to optimize product placement, reduce stock-outs, and adjust staffing levels and their placement in the retail environment.